New Guy Needing Advice

[Ivo4u2]

The drawer option is for now the best one. When I started I was scared ****less from my qshave futul aka Sunday bloody bloody freakin every time I use it.
So you store it and carefully try other razors and you notice they need the right blade for that razor and you. Sometimes you find the combo for a proper duet sometimes never.
But someday I found that a Gillette silver blue made my butcher a very comfy shaver. And I am pretty sure that some of the razors I did not like or did not like me were poorly matched and might have liked them a looooot better with the right blade.

Nothing wrong to get a second Gillette and flog the merkur.
But try a Gillette silver blue in the Gillette first. If that more or less shaves the same put it in the merkur.
Why the gsb? Because that is a close relative to the blades which came with it but a lot cheaper.
FYI there is a discussion going on if those blades are unique or rebranded gilette 7 o clock black.

 

[ajkel64]

Welcome to the forum from Australia Dave. Thanks for checking in with us.

 

[cryhavoc]

Welcome to B&B!

 

[Chef455]

Stick with the Heritage and go back to the Merkur in 2-3 months. With a stable technique you can try out blades until you find the one the fits.

I think that it is probably a shaving angle issue with the Merkur 34c. If it doesn't suit you, don't dwell on it, try another razor. You're just at the beginning of your wet shaving career. I think you shouldn't go for the high-end expensive razors just yet, but probably try the common classics - perhaps vintage as well.

First of all, welcome and congratulations on finding SUCCESS! I think you have received some great advice here already. If the 34c isn't working but the Heritage is, do yourself a favor and focus on what's working for the time being. You have a good razor in your hands and, while it is completely understandable that you may want to, there is absolutely no reason to stumble into any rabbit holes right now.

The two razors are fairly similar, so revisit the 34c in a month or more to see if you can make it a happy situation. My guess is that you will be able to but may be ready to move on from both by then. Enjoy your shaves and glad to have you here.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Different razors need different angles to be efficient, so don't be too surprised at the change in efficiency if you're using them the same.

For more tips and info on fixing problems, the first four posts of my tutorial should help

The Wanderer's Guide To DE Shaving

Part One I was self taught with a DE razor 25 years ago, and had to figure out a lot of things the hard way. I learned a lot of things over the years, but wish there had been an experienced DE shaver who could have taught me the basics early on. This guide is offered so that you can get to...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[BigJ]

Welcome aboard!

First, CONGRATULATIONS! You are making great progress.

Second, there are still many variables in play:
1. Your technique is evolving.
2. You need to settle on your blade choices. This will likely depend on the particular razor. For me a mild/moderate razor (like your 34C) does great with a sharp blade. I especially like GSB, Personna labs and Nacets in the 34C. Others like Feathers, Kai, etc. You need to determine what works best for you.
3. If the Heritage works better, stick with that as you dial in your technique, blade, soap and other choices. And a back-up of your favored razor never hurts (especially as you are looking to have 2 set-ups)!

Mostly, enjoy the journey!

 

[Invicta]

Welcome to B&B.

my first set was a Merkur 34c. Now that I am a little more confident I ordered a Gillette Heritage for my to-go setup. I spend about 200 nights a year in hotels due to work so wanted another complete set just for my travels.

The Merkur 34C is a tad more aggressive than the R89 so I think you need to try different blades with it. Astra SP or GSB are a favourite match with the 34C. I too use a DE89 as my travel razor and it performs well with a variety of blades and the final shave result is on par with the 34C so there is not a lot to choose between the two.

 

[dmshaver]

Welcome to B & B, enjoy!

 

[Bundy71]

I've tried several blades in my 34C (HD) and found the Voskhod gives me the best shave with it. I know that means little, but if you're looking to find success with that razor, give them a shot. Ironically, the Astra SPs gave me the worst experience.